Staying on Track While Decorating Your Custom Built Home

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Although you’ve done everything right in picking a great interior designer to highlight the masterfully crafted details of your custom built home, problems can still arise. But don’t lose heart! Projects as long-term and as personal as decorating a luxury home often hit a few rough spots. Fortunately, good communication can clear up most problems. Here are some common pitfalls you can avoid to keep your decorating experience enjoyable and positive for both you and your designer.

Explicitly Explain What Your Budget Includes
First and foremost, be open and direct about how much you are going to spend. This figure should include the full scope of typical interior design costs such as the designer’s fees, furniture purchases, sales tax, delivery and installation. The designer’s proposal should be based on this figure and you can ask for a breakdown of how the budget will be spent. Ordinarily, the designer will include in their proposal, a photo of everything they will be purchasing, along with fabric swatches or samples of finishes.

Ask about Your Designer’s Fee Structure
There are generally two fee structures in interior design–a flat fee plus a commission based on a percentage of the cost of products or an hourly rate plus commission. Whichever you choose, again ensure that the terms are completely spelled out before the work begins—will you be paying the designer’s assistants the same hourly rate to complete tasks? If calculating a flat fee, a simple room usually takes a designer about 20 hours of work to complete.

Ask Your Designer to Explain Discounts and Markups
Most designers receive discounts when ordering furniture from trade showrooms. This price hovers between the wholesale price and the retail price you would be entitled to. You can ask your designer about these discounts and how much their markup is. Most will find you a savings of 20-30 percent below retail.

“I believe that any designer worth their salt will gladly show their client all pricing on items being ordered,” says Camille Montondon Peeples, a custom home building interior designer with River Dog Creative in Houston. “Transparency with the client fosters a greater level of trust.”

Sometimes clients are tempted to shop online for bigger savings on furniture, plumbing fixtures or lighting. In this case, it’s important to keep in mind the protection that comes with working through a designer. When your designer orders something for you, they assume responsibility for that item until installation.  If the item arrives damaged, the designer takes responsibility for the repairs either on-site or coordinates replacement of the item with the manufacturer – all at no cost to you. If you buy something damaged, you will be responsible for repairs.

Include a Dispute Resolution Clause in the Contract
Although both you and your designer hope to avoid disagreements, it’s smart to include a dispute resolution clause in your contract. Did you inadvertently approve the wrong kitchen molding or did your designer make a mistake? A resolution clause states who is responsible for errors and refers you to mediation services if necessary.

Whitestone Builders, winner of a 2011 Star Award from the Texas Association of Builders, has talented Houston interior designers to recommend to you when you are ready to begin building your luxury custom built home. And no other builder compares to Whitestone when it comes to craftsmanship and fine carpentry. Contact us for more information.

If you’d like to know more about choosing an interior designer, read the rest of our three part series on interior design. In the meantime, do you have a favorite interior design story to share? If so, please comment below.